This disclosure relates generally to presenting content via a user interface and more specifically to augmenting content displayed to a user by providing a temperature sensation to the user.
Increasingly, client devices present content to users representing a virtual environment allowing the user to interact with various objects within the virtual environment. Conventional client devices emphasize visual presentation of content to users so the users may see the virtual environment or see the users' surroundings augmented with virtual content. Audio content may augment the visual presentation of content through speakers or other audio playback devices to enhance a virtual environment presented to the user.
However, content presented to users via a client device may benefit from providing additional sensory feedback to a user. For example, providing haptic feedback along with visual and audio data allows a user to become more fully immersed in the presented content. As an example, haptic feedback allows a user to more fully simulate interactions with virtual objects displayed to a user, allowing the user to more effectively interact with the presented content. Providing haptic feedback to a user may also allow a client device to expose a user to temperature changes that further increase the realism of content presented to the user by the client device. Traditional heat transfer interfaces rely on heat transfer such as conduction, diffusion, convection, and radiation. Accordingly, traditional heat transfer devices are often physically connected to an external heat source and heat sink and have a high thermal conductivity to conduct heat from the heat source to an external environment. However, in many applications, use of high thermal conductivity and an external heat source prevents traditional heat transfer devices from being easily wearable.